A Brush Of Honey Onto Fresh Bread Does Wonders For The Texture

If you think freshly baked bread taken hot out of the oven is ready to serve, not so fast. We have an easy upgrade that can elevate your baked loaves into perfectly textured, difficult-to-put-down baked goods that yield chewy slices of toast that cannot be put down. With a quick swipe of honey, the crust of your warm bread will turn extra moist, and the sweet smell of the added sticky ingredient will amplify the other ingredients you've included in your bread recipe.

Whether you decide to make an oats-based loaf or practice perfecting your sourdough bread game, brushing strokes of warm honey onto the surface of your baked creations will move you higher up the ranks of professional bakers. After eating honey-crusted slices topped with swashes of your favorite salted butter or your choice of homemade jam, you may find yourself baking another loaf a lot sooner than you had originally intended.

Bakeries around the world dress bread recipes with washes of honey for good reason. Honey is one of the easiest pairings you can match with bread recipes, and the sweet ingredient adds both flavor and texture to fresh loaves. 

Whether glazing dinner rolls with honey or swiping brown butter banana bread with the ingredient, a coat of honey can lend a visually appealing shine in addition to elegant notes of earthy sweetness. After swiping honey onto your baked goods, you can finish loaves with an extra sprinkle of poppy or sesame seeds, chopped walnuts or pecans, or sprinkles of flaky sea salt or coats of crunchy sugar, as the wash will provide a momentary base that finer ingredients can adhere to. To enhance the flavors of your recipe with your honey wash, consider pairings that can amplify the tasting notes in your loaf: Leaves of dried rosemary and basil or dustings of cinnamon powder or ginger can result in delicious finishings. Who would have thought something so sweet could become an instrumental part of your baking arsenal?